In 2023, 16 hectares of heavily overgrown Coussoul were fenced off. A flock of sheep was permanently parked there, with the medium-term aim of reopening the area and creating a layer of good quality grass for the flock to graze on. In the long term, this action will allow the grazing pressure on other areas to be reduced during the Crau grasshopper’s presence, thus ensuring an ideal quality of habitat.
The initial aim is to use the animals to stabilise the level of overgrowth, before a second operation is carried out in 2025 to further reduce the scrub.
Author: Perrine Turiez, Chambre d’agriculture du Bouches-du-Rhône